Photographic images are used to capture and display information about memorable occasions, but often the image alone does not contain all the desired information. Image annotation is the process of adding additional information to the image for such uses as enhanced image enjoyment, reminders of the people or places in the image, industry applications, education, classification, and other information about the captured image. It is well known to make provision in a camera for optical annotation of date and time on a negative film image that appears in the resultant print image. It is also known to provide for recording of an annotation code on a magnetic data track on the film which is read by a photofinishing lab and used to look up the corresponding annotation from a annotation library that is then printed on the front or back of the affected print. While the photographer can add annotation at any time through a variety of methods, it is most desirable to provide for annotation at the time of picture taking. When done during picture taking, it is desirable that the function of selecting and recording a desired annotation allow for selection from a wide range of possible annotation data, be easy to use and inject a minimum of interference with the picture taking process.
When recording annotation data on the film during picture taking, there is an issue as to the amount of storage space that is available on the film for this purpose. In the Advanced Photo System (APS), the film is coated with a magnetic layer to allow magnetic data recording on the film. Since there is a limited amount of data storage space available, the APS system provides for a system of designated "select annotation" codes, which is a limited listing of predefined annotations from which the photographer can select. Only the code is stored on the magnetic layer of the film. At the photofinisher, the codes are read from the film and are looked up in a predefined table. An annotation corresponding to the code is then printed on the back or front of the image. Some of the drawbacks of this annotation system are lack of customization, and a limited ability to access more than a few annotations. Some of the current APS cameras that incorporate this feature require the user to program the annotation codes from a list, much like setting the day/date clock. This allows a small number of annotations (three, for example) to be accessed quickly, but if other annotations from the list are desired, they must be painstakingly programmed into the camera. The alternative is to provide large and costly memory capacity in the camera to hold all of the annotations for display to the photographer.
It is an object of the invention therefore to provide for convenient annotation of a captured image during picture taking with the ability to choose a desired annotation rapidly from a wide selection of available predefined annotations.